Comments on: Carling — probably not the best cup competition in the world http://soccerlens.com/carling-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/ Football News Fri, 25 May 2012 10:44:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Hugo Steckelmacher http://soccerlens.com/carling-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81807 Hugo Steckelmacher Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:38:31 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/carling-%e2%80%93-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81807 Sorry for the delay in my response, thanks for all of your comments. I've approached Kate Moss - what you think? :-) Daniel, I have tried to argue for the League Cup because I think that with a little tweaking, it can serve a pretty lofty purpose. You have to understand that a number of young players moving to England have done so explicitly citing the fact that they will get to link-up with the first team much sooner than they would have done at their home-town clubs (this is the case for several of Barcelona's "cantera", such as Piqué, Fabregas and Mérida). As such, I sense that the window of opportunity is open to encourage this movement and at the same time give renewed hope to academy graduates. Michael - the idea certainly needs refinement, and serious consideration, but I do think it is workable. Perhaps only allowing two players with more than 50 premiership starts would work better? And then the basic 5+6 model could be perfect. Maybe I should make a formal proposal and send it to the FA? :-) Sorry for the delay in my response, thanks for all of your comments. I’ve approached Kate Moss – what you think? :-)

Daniel, I have tried to argue for the League Cup because I think that with a little tweaking, it can serve a pretty lofty purpose. You have to understand that a number of young players moving to England have done so explicitly citing the fact that they will get to link-up with the first team much sooner than they would have done at their home-town clubs (this is the case for several of Barcelona’s “cantera”, such as Piqué, Fabregas and Mérida). As such, I sense that the window of opportunity is open to encourage this movement and at the same time give renewed hope to academy graduates.

Michael – the idea certainly needs refinement, and serious consideration, but I do think it is workable. Perhaps only allowing two players with more than 50 premiership starts would work better? And then the basic 5+6 model could be perfect. Maybe I should make a formal proposal and send it to the FA? :-)

]]> By: michael http://soccerlens.com/carling-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81669 michael Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:47:18 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/carling-%e2%80%93-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81669 I think you've got some interesting ideas there that (with refinement), could work. 100 starts is a bit few, most teams wouldn't be able to play their stars, which would decrease allure. You have to remember that although that would give smaller teams a better chance, the pride of winning would be drastically reduced. Football League teams would (rightly) feel they were being used as training fodder, with little benefit to themselves as decreased interest would decrease revenue. The main problem is that if you attempt to 'balance the scales' in favour of smaller teams, you decrease the status of the cup, and then it would become even more spurious than it is now. The 5+6 idea is great, though. Six under 21s/23s on each team, with less than 10 Premiership starts each, then any other five, could really work. It would mean players like Rooney and Cesc wouldn't qualify as youngsters but could still play, but the starting youth of Championship/League teams would, allowing them to field full(ish) teams. I really think it could work, and give exciting young players a chance and motivation to prove themselves. (that's why Uniteds youngsters have flopped, I reckon, because they know the stars will take their places in the later stages). As you say, it is where Cesc made his name. I think you’ve got some interesting ideas there that (with refinement), could work. 100 starts is a bit few, most teams wouldn’t be able to play their stars, which would decrease allure. You have to remember that although that would give smaller teams a better chance, the pride of winning would be drastically reduced. Football League teams would (rightly) feel they were being used as training fodder, with little benefit to themselves as decreased interest would decrease revenue.

The main problem is that if you attempt to ‘balance the scales’ in favour of smaller teams, you decrease the status of the cup, and then it would become even more spurious than it is now.

The 5+6 idea is great, though. Six under 21s/23s on each team, with less than 10 Premiership starts each, then any other five, could really work. It would mean players like Rooney and Cesc wouldn’t qualify as youngsters but could still play, but the starting youth of Championship/League teams would, allowing them to field full(ish) teams. I really think it could work, and give exciting young players a chance and motivation to prove themselves. (that’s why Uniteds youngsters have flopped, I reckon, because they know the stars will take their places in the later stages). As you say, it is where Cesc made his name.

]]> By: WILL http://soccerlens.com/carling-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81658 WILL Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:06:15 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/carling-%e2%80%93-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81658 that's missing the point the point isnt spurs won a joke cup the point is they beat a full strength chelsea(who believe it or not were actually trying) in teh final and ended a long barren spell of trophies that’s missing the point

the point isnt spurs won a joke cup

the point is they beat a full strength chelsea(who believe it or not were actually trying) in teh final and ended a long barren spell of trophies

]]> By: Anthony http://soccerlens.com/carling-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81649 Anthony Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:17:59 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/carling-%e2%80%93-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81649 Hugo, That game at the Reebok Stadium had about 5,000 Man City fans there. Good job Bolton were playing a local team otherwise I dread to think what the crowd would have been, especially as the Trotters faithful weren't exactly overwhelmed with Megson or Lee, whoever was in charge at the time. Hugo,

That game at the Reebok Stadium had about 5,000 Man City fans there. Good job Bolton were playing a local team otherwise I dread to think what the crowd would have been, especially as the Trotters faithful weren’t exactly overwhelmed with Megson or Lee, whoever was in charge at the time.

]]> By: Daniel Beech http://soccerlens.com/carling-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81623 Daniel Beech Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:57:09 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/carling-%e2%80%93-probably-not-the-best-cup-competition-in-the-world/6168/#comment-81623 The winner gets a lap dance from Kate Moss, would that increase the prestige? Seriously though, having the league cup occur overseas is actually a pretty good idea, it's just the logistics that getting the players back in time for the REAL matches. But what this article really underlines for me is the sheer ridiculousness of the League Cup. What is it there for? A second-chance draw? Most sports don't even have a cup to go with their league, the idea of two cups is makes no sense other than allowing certain big name managers to save face in disappointing years and players to party in the middle of a season where they're halfway down the table. Perhaps it could be made a pre-season cup? The winner gets a lap dance from Kate Moss, would that increase the prestige? Seriously though, having the league cup occur overseas is actually a pretty good idea, it’s just the logistics that getting the players back in time for the REAL matches. But what this article really underlines for me is the sheer ridiculousness of the League Cup. What is it there for? A second-chance draw? Most sports don’t even have a cup to go with their league, the idea of two cups is makes no sense other than allowing certain big name managers to save face in disappointing years and players to party in the middle of a season where they’re halfway down the table. Perhaps it could be made a pre-season cup?

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